This invention relates, in general, to the manufacture of cables and, particularly, to an assembly for the transfer of a wound cable, i.e., a coil, on one spool directly onto another spool.
In the handling of many types of "cables", e.g., sewing thread, metal wires, optical fibers and the like, it is convenient to wind the cable onto a spool. Typically, the cable is thereafter wound off the spool in use of the cable, but there are occasions where it is desirable to transfer an entire coil wound on a first spool to a second spool directly and without unwinding the coil.
The present invention has particular, but not exclusive, use with optical fibers used in telecommunications apparatus. In one such apparatus, a custom designed optical fiber coil, i.e., designed in connection with a particular apparatus, is first wound onto a first spool ("mandrel", hereinafter) in known fashion and then the wound coil is then directly transferred onto a mandrel of an apparatus in process of manufacture. In the coil transfer process the "first" mandrel carrying the custom designed optical fiber coil is disposed directly over and coaxial with the second mandrel onto which the coil is transferred. Then, gently and aided by probes and the like, the coil is manually nudged off the first mandrel and onto the second.
In anticipation of such transfer operation, the coil is wound onto the first mandrel with a minimum tension. Still, and dependent upon the number of turns of the coil, the coil is compressively clamped around the mandrel. Accordingly, while the transfer process works and is regularly used, it requires great care and time. Also, all too often, a slip occurs and the delicate optical fiber of the coil is damaged. Improvements of the transfer process are thus to be desired.